How to Live Like You're Dying and Making Life Joyful

Having a joyful life that's fulfilling and purposeful is easier than you think. Check out a list of ways to live like you're dying and make the most of life today and everyday.

Are you happy? Do you love the people in your life or do they love you? Are you a kind, happy and purposeful person?

Many questions can be put to the topic, live like you dying. In fact many do just that and has been my greatest desire to do so as well, falling short from this task I forge on with the surmounting goal to live like I’m dying and yet how ironic because I in fact am dying.

How much time do you have before you leave this life?

A Personal Journey

This is my personal list outlining how I can live like I'm dying and make the most of each day.

It really is the simple everyday things we do that matters. Once I became a Mom I realized more than ever it's the simple things that matter. In hope of both inspiring others and reminding myself of what really matters I've compiled my list of what I do to make each day a little special. It is by doing this I feel I live like I'm dying.

My current to do list of things to help live like you’re dying is;

Stand out looking at the sky just before a big storm, feeling the warm air turning to a swift dance and the grey sky swirl to black till you feel the first drops of rain on your face.

Do kind helpful things while no one is looking, while shopping I often put clothes back on the hanger that others have left falling to the ground. I collect shopping carts at my grocery store that are on the verge of hitting a car and return them to the cart area. We live with the bad things we do and regret, just like that you live with the secret good you do giving you the affirmation sometimes needed to remind yourself you truly make a difference and are good..

Make a To Do List

Making a to do list of the things you do already will inspire and bring joy to life.

My list continued;

Get up early and make bacon, eggs and waffles for my kids even though I’m a vegetarian.

Ride my bike on the beautiful scenic bike trails throughout my city, there are ten fantastic trails I especially enjoy. The trails run along winding tree lined paths, creeks and honey suckles and various animals with a choir of birds accompanying them. The sun often shines brightly on my face and then suddenly I disappear beneath a canopy of trees cooled by the shade. Yet again doing what you love brings you great joy and makes life worth while. Any day can be a good day to dye when you live purposefully and with joy.

Set in my Zen garden feeding the fish beneath a canopy of my favorite trees, the Japanese maple, the green thread, the blood good and the red thread maple each with it’s magnificent splendor. Just this spring a baby maple sprouted right in the middle of the pebble garden so perfectly raked, another ritual I enjoy. Boldly the baby stood straight reaching for the sun, knowing the little girl and her grand mother living next door would undoubtedly step on it during the daily visit to my garden, I knew it must be removed. I transplanted it into a pot, dug a hole near its mother and settled the lil maple under its mother’s canopy with a sunny Lilly smiling brightly over it. The baby maple is happy, I set under the tree like a small child and talk to the baby once or twice a day, the baby is happy and thriving no longer afraid of the toddler who excitedly runs about each day.

Enjoy The Little Things

It's the little things you love that really make life special.

My Live Like I'm Dying List;

I celebrate tea everyday, I use the good china, and enjoy the best organic tea I can get my hands on.I frequent fantastic tea shops’ all around the city seeking the best. I love tea, for me it's a big deal.

I jump on my bike with Yoga mat in tow and head down to the lake where I enjoy a hour or more of Yoga.

The Joy of Parenting

Being a good parent is a great way to live a purposeful and rewarding joy filled life.

I spend several hours every afternoon with my two daughters just listening, quietly listening and answering only the questions they ask of me with careful thought and colorful detail. I’m careful to know when to stop talking and return to listening. Listening to a young person is the most valuable of gifts to me as they are smarter, wiser and more balanced than anyone I know.

I hug my two daughters often and tell them I love them even more. I point out the things they do right and praise them for it. I let them know I’m impressed with them and yet never slack on enforcing the rules. Aw life has rules!

My oldest daughter is writing a biography about me, she is fourteen so I must be doing something right. She kept asking me to write my auto biography and I have yet to have any interest in that so she’s taking up the task herself.

I take my kids out to lunch, shopping or to a movie, anything they like on the spur of the moment. If they want to go, they most always do.

Personal Indulgences

Little personal indulgences makes life fun and worth wild everyday.

It's the personal little indulgences in life that make it worth the trouble. All the giving that makes us feel great sometimes makes us feel taken advantage of it is for this reason we must balance our lives always making certain to take care of ourselves as well

My Personal Indulgences;

I open a bottle of red wine each evening and set watching my children as they commonly swim at this time.during the summer or may be hard at work competing a project or creation, I look on contemplating whether or not to slip off into the hot tub, I may or may not, depends on my mood.

I eat only what I want, I’m a very picky eater and never eat anything I don’t like. I drink tea all day, some water, and one iced cranberry juice, plus the red wine to end the day. But eat only if I want to and often don’t eat at all. I take my kids out for ice cream even though I can’t stand the stuff, ice cream parlors are fun. I cut up a fresh watermelon every other day because it’s my kid’s favorite.

I don’t compromise when it comes to really personal matters. I will compromise with those I love but never on who’s among those I love. I’m with only those I love and adore; life is too short to spend your meaningful time with those you don’t like!

I never answer my phone unless I want to talk to the person calling; I screen my calls and don’t care for phone conversation much. I’m a huge fan of text messaging, and text a means of communication.

I laugh as often as I can, love funny people and comedy clubs. I carve out time to enjoy comedians on a regular basis.

I continue wearing my yellow live strong bracelet reminding me of forgiveness and that we are all only human and yet can still live strong and should.

My Zen Garden

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Unfulfilled Dreams

Dreams are Vital

We all have those dreams that don’t come true.

The choice to continue believing opens doors of joy and fulfillment we would otherwise miss if we simply give up.

When it comes to living like you’re dying there is the need to dream and dream big.

My Unfulfilled Dreams;

My dream yet to be fulfilled is a tree house. I've always dreamt of having a tree house and I mean one that’s habitable. I planted the Tulip Poplar tree in my back yard some years ago for this purpose. The Tulip Popular is one of the fastest growing trees which grows strong and straight and accommodates a tree house well.

My special tree was struck by lightning last year and an arborist, who’s been tending it, just informed me the tree must come down. It has lived like its dying. So today I set pondering the state of my tree situation and understand once again that the best of plans are often gone before you have the chance to fulfill them and yet the dream of them matters just the same.

So go on make your list and live like your dying after all like me you are as well.

katiem2, Acknowledge the past, anticipate the future and appreciate the present are ways I try to get the most out of life. It's just so thoughtful that you think of putting things back on racks and shelves in stores and that you round up carts in shopping parking lots! After reading this article, as I mentioned in your article about apple-picking, I went to pick up a few groceries. I saw a toy on the floor near the milk and handed it in and put a stray cart in the corral when I left. It felt great! P.S. What's your favorite red wine?

When I was 15 I had a boyfriend who drowned. He was part of my life one day and gone the next. I don't think I have ever since not lived like every moment could be my last - or the last time I see someone I love. It's a good idea to never take any of our days for granted.

Beautiful article. You have a Zen garden???? That is too cool. (I'm trying to create a little tiny space outside where I can sit but it won't be easy down here since there's no shade.) But really, we're all dying. As the saying goes, nobody will get out of this alive. So we really should make the best of it and enjoy the things we love.

This was a truly wonderful article about living a balanced life. I need more nature in my life, and can't wait for spring. Parks are drab and dreary at this time of year, and there's no snow nearby Bucharest, either. But the upshot of living in a city is that it changes all the time, and there's always something nice going on. But I digress :). Congrats on a life well lived!